I just don't get it.....

For the first time since Shula, we have a no BS head coach. He turned a 1-4 team into a 10-6 team. In his first year. In the middle of the season. And we lost a lot of guys to injuries, maybe the worst injury year we've had yet. And still we went 10-6. Coach cut dead weight, got everybody fired up and playing hard. We have added much needed help in free agency and the draft. Year two will add consistency, as the old hands know what to expect. O should click well, D should be much stronger.

And yet, we are predicted to suck. More so than last year.

I know, nobody really knows and won't know until we go. But man, I don't understand why we are constantly swept under the carpet. If a first year coach can take a bad team, lose a bunch of guys to injury, start out at 1-4 and then turn it around to 10-6 and a playoff berth, and then get everybody healthy in the offseason and add a good deal of talent, how could we do poorly?

I swear, hating the Dolphins seems to be a sport unto itself.

Or maybe, just maybe....it's because we may be turning into a real threat to the Patriots and WE CANT HAVE THAT!!!! Can't unseat NE and their big tin god, oh my no.

It is not really unexpected for a team to take a step back the next year after the year we jsut had IMO. The most important thing is to change team culture and we 'must' hit on draft picks better then in the past.

It will still take some time, when you can look at the roster and say a fair amount of draft picks from the last couple/few years are still here- that might be a good indicator.

Yeah I mean none of us really had high expectations going in to last season. 8-8 seemed like a reach. after 1-4, 8-8 seemed impossible. But things changed, the culture changed. It takes time to really build that foundation. I pegged us a better team this year with a 9-7 record. My eyes are on 2018. I think that's the year the league/media takes notice and you will start seeing the landscape in the AFCE changing.

We won alot of close games, games they feel could easily go the other way next year.

We also looked like crap against the Steelers in the playoffs.

If we blow the doors off a few teams early this year they will start changing their tune.

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This is what I expect, I think we are the most under rated team in the NFL, as well as one of the best teams too. With Adam Gase and this FO, I think Miami is going to be seen as one of the best teams in the NFL, a lot sooner than most expect.

Winning as many games as we did last year with so many of our top players on IR was an awesome feat. Especially for a first time HC implementing ALL NEW systems. I have so much confidence in Gase at this point and it is NOTHING like when we did it in 2008 under Sparano, Ireland and Parcels. This regime is working together very nicely and doesn't seem to be experiencing the same back room, in-fighting that those jokers went through. Adam Gase is at the core of this culture change.

#NEWMIAMI

If we can stay relatively healthy, there is no reason we cannot improve on 2016. I don't care about this strength of schedule BS. It never ends up how people foresee it playing out. Good teams suck and underdogs have good seasons. it happens every year.

I understand your complaint - I was 7 years old when we went 17-0. I been here as a fan a long time.

Here's how I see it: The Dolphins are TRASH until we PROVE otherwise.

Proving otherwise means one thing and one thing only hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. That's it.

The NFL is all about who won the Superbowl not who made it to the Superbowl and lost, or who made it to the playoffs.

We have been being CRUSHED, made into oil, by the Patriots.

Until we get our pride back and make that stop we deserve EXACTLY what we get.

I do not accept the idea that ANY team is better then us right now - or that we are better then anyone else. We need to go out there and prove it - and until we do we are going to be RIGHTFULLY treated like the doormat!

For the first time since Shula, we have a no BS head coach. He turned a 1-4 team into a 10-6 team. In his first year. In the middle of the season. And we lost a lot of guys to injuries, maybe the worst injury year we've had yet. And still we went 10-6. Coach cut dead weight, got everybody fired up and playing hard. We have added much needed help in free agency and the draft. Year two will add consistency, as the old hands know what to expect. O should click well, D should be much stronger.

And yet, we are predicted to suck. More so than last year.

I know, nobody really knows and won't know until we go. But man, I don't understand why we are constantly swept under the carpet. If a first year coach can take a bad team, lose a bunch of guys to injury, start out at 1-4 and then turn it around to 10-6 and a playoff berth, and then get everybody healthy in the offseason and add a good deal of talent, how could we do poorly?

I swear, hating the Dolphins seems to be a sport unto itself.

Or maybe, just maybe....it's because we may be turning into a real threat to the Patriots and WE CANT HAVE THAT!!!! Can't unseat NE and their big tin god, oh my no.

If we regress we do so because we are slipping backwards not because of schedule or injuries or draft or ANYTHING else.

This notion that somehow our schedule will be "harder" is one I do not accept at all. Especially in today's NFL - with so much parody the talent level is within striking distance for all. It's all attitude, preparation, and execution. Its players and coaches and management working together and believing in themselves - especially when difficult things happen on and off the field.

There is a learning curve with rookies. You can't expect them to suddenly improve the team...that usually takes time...sometimes a year or two. No one knows what changes Matt Burke will make on defense, if any, and we don't know how good of a coach he is. Interior of the O-line is still a huge question mark for me. Not sure adding just one guy late in the draft and a journeyman Guard is enough improvement. We all assume Pouncey won't last the season...what's our backup plan? Steen? He was good for about two games and that was it. Urbik? He was good for about 3 or 4 games. If Pouncey goes down early like he did last year then the O-line is going to struggle. Urbik did fine in pass pro but as a run blocker not so much. When we lost Pouncey we couldn't run the ball worth a crap. Ajayi went from 6+ yards per carry down to under 4 yards per carry with Pouncey out. That's significant.

Not to mention we added one run stopper in McMillan in the draft. For a team that was 30th against the run. We lack depth at the DT position...only Suh and Jordan have any significant experience and rookies don't normally flourish at the DT position in the NFL.

We kept a lot of our pieces, which is good, continuity shouldn't be an issue. We're not making wholesale changes so, theoretically, the team should play faster and not have to think as much but I don't think the talent level has been improved enough to make a big difference in the team...not immediately anyway.

If we regress we do so because we are slipping backwards not because of schedule or injuries or draft or ANYTHING else.

This notion that somehow our schedule will be "harder" is one I do not accept at all. Especially in today's NFL - with so much parody the talent level is within striking distance for all. It's all attitude, preparation, and execution. Its players and coaches and management working together and believing in themselves - especially when difficult things happen on and off the field.

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A 3-1 record against the AFC West says a lot more about the team than going 3-1 against the AFC South (at least in my mind). I agree that at the end of the day you either make the playoffs or you don't, but I'd rather see progress with the team rather than getting the doors blown off in the first round.

Even as a fan, I want to see it again. Sparano took us to the playoffs one year, then nothing. If we go a second time, or twice within 3 seasons, then they will start giving more credit where its due.

I love the Gase and RT combo, they clearly work well together, I think long term he is the right guy, but I need to see this team start off on the right foot. Common sense would tell you out of continuity, they will, but you never know. It was only one season. Have to prove to the league that it wasnt a fluke.

Im not jumping the gun saying were destined for playoffs again. I hope its true that we are a good team again, last year was great, but lets see it again. We definitely have the firepower, but so much can happen in any given season.

Consistency man. Miami has got to prove that they can get to the playoffs year in and year out. Win a playoff game consistently. It's been forever since Miami has done that stuff. Of course people are skeptical of Miami making the playoffs again this year.

Yeah I mean none of us really had high expectations going in to last season. 8-8 seemed like a reach. after 1-4, 8-8 seemed impossible. But things changed, the culture changed. It takes time to really build that foundation. I pegged us a better team this year with a 9-7 record. My eyes are on 2018. I think that's the year the league/media takes notice and you will start seeing the landscape in the AFCE changing.

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exactly. i think we sign some big FA and nail the next draft and win the division in 2018. we might just tread water or even take a small step back this year due to a fairly tough schedule. or we might just ball out and win it this year lol

Its because the "experts" dont seem to understand or acknowledge that when teams win close games that they SHOULD win its a sign of mental toughness and good coaching, not just luck.

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Exactly. There are visible steps toward progress. One is not being the AFC-E last place team. Check. Winning games they SHOULD win. Check. Playing good teams close. Check. IMO, playing ANYONE close the last 4-5 games with so many ST guys deserves a check and fielding a team against top teams is a check. But you get the idea. Miami showed visible improvement in areas fans have been wanting for decades. Yet, there are fans who blindly refuse to accept that progress. Which leads me to this . . . one step is when fans actually think the team is better. Still unchecked by too many.

Seriously, why does it matter. The geniuses who are not optimistic about us this year were clearly wrong about us last season. So, they are batting .000. Who knows how well we will do? But they are entitled to their opinions just like all of us are. Can't wait to see them proven wrong again.

We looked bad against the steelers because we had Matt trash Moore at QB against a veteran playoff team. Trash Moore is ok against weak, non playoff teams but to win a real game he's gotta have a great defense and Allstars all around him. We don't have that.

If we can plug the holes at guard, hide juwan James and maybe get something out of desofty Parker our offense will be legit.

Defense is a work in progress. Getting rashad Jones back is the biggest upgrade, especially against the run. This dude is special. The rest of the secondary is a question mark to the outsiders. I personally think eve got a great group with the weakest link one foot the door in maxwell based on our draft. Timmons is old but still a solid starter. Alonso belongs in the league and way above average. The last few years we've been fielding practice squad players, just like the o line.

This team will win at least 10 games this season....we will contend for a playoff spot....we are improving and the leadership is in place...the Browns will improve...the Bengals Chargers Broncos Ravens will take a step back...

We will compete with the Patriots Steelers Raiders Chiefs and Texans.....The strength of schedule can change on a weekly basis...It seems to be determined by where you stood last season with a sprinkle of consistency...it doesn't mean a lot to me...there are some real things that affect the schedule imo...playing in London...playing a Thursday night game after a Sunday game...on the road after a short week...those factors do mean something but teams are who they are and the game is what it is so reputation and last season doesn't scare me ....

Just my 2 cents...no link of information...just my take on our team...I believe the team has turned a corner

I like Gase and think he will make us a good team but last year I think we got pretty lucky, I see us winning around 8 games this year as the schedule is tougher. We still need more talent, especially on defense, as much as I like Gase I dislike our front office. We haven't drafted well in years, I think we've gotten better recently but there was only one way to go with as bad as we had been drafting.

A 3-1 record against the AFC West says a lot more about the team than going 3-1 against the AFC South (at least in my mind). I agree that at the end of the day you either make the playoffs or you don't, but I'd rather see progress with the team rather than getting the doors blown off in the first round.

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We didn't even have our starting QB. That's kind of a handicap, along with the other guys missing. Excuses, I know, but I expect us to play well this year, starting early.

We didn't even have our starting QB. That's kind of a handicap, along with the other guys missing. Excuses, I know, but I expect us to play well this year, starting early.

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It's all on the defense to get better. I don't think the outcome would've been too much different with a healthy offense. If the defense gets better, this team can take that next step. None of the teams in the NFL scare me when this team is playing well; the talent is there, just need to be consistent.

All in all we are a better team this year and still not make the playoff or have a worse record. We are moving in the right direction and there will be bumps in the road. But I like the way we are headed and we could surprise all the Fin haters.

It's very simple...We have been a laughing stock since Ricky quit football to smoke weed, we haven't won a playoff game in 17 years, and you can't undo that with one 10-6 season and a first round exit of the playoffs. The national media looks at the national teams, Cowboys, Packers, Stealers, and the lighting rod teams like The Raiders who are good and have huge national news(moving to Vegas,) and the perinatal power houses.

If we make the playoffs again, and win one playoff game, we will garner a lot more national respect.